A typical Conjugate Cam has two Cams that rotate on one axis/shaft, which drive two Cam-Follower Rollers that oscillate or index on a different shaft.

A Conjugate Cam may have one Cam-Follower Roller held in a Groove or Track. This Conjugate-Cam type is called a Groove Cam or Track-Cam.

To do the Force Analysis of Conjugate-Cams, you need two Cam-Follower Rollers and to define the Inner Cam and the Outer Cam separately, and then use the Cam-Conjugate FB.

In the image to the left, the blue and orange Cams rotate together on one shaft. The blue Cam-Profile is in continuous contact with the blue Cam-Follower Roller, and the Orange Cam-Profile is in continuous contact with the Orange Cam-Follower Roller.

Typically, to do the force and stress analysis of a 2D-Cam, you select one 2D-Cam as the Power Source in the Configure Power-Source dialog.

However, if there are two Cams (Conjugate Cams) on one kinematic-chain drive the two Cam-Follower Profiles, on a different kinematic-chain, you must add and configure a Conjugate Cam FB. Then, select the Conjugate-Cam FB as the Power-Source in the Configure Power-Source dialog  - only then should you do the force and stress analysis.

You cannot use the Inner and Outer Flanks of one 2D-Cam

1.Add a 2D-Cam - see Machine elements toolbar > Add 2D-Cam

If the new 2D-Cam is one from a pair of Conjugate-Cams, or it is one flank of a Groove-Cam

1.a. Add a Conjugate-Cam FB - see Machine elements toolbar > Add Conjugate Cam FB

1.b. Edit the Conjugate-Cam FB to select least two 2D-Cams - see Conjugate-Cam dialog.

2.Select a 2D-Cam or a Conjugate-Cam FB as the Power Source for the Follower - see Configure-Power Source

3.Review the 2D-Cam : Display, Properties, Roller-Life, Cam-Life, ... - see 2D-Cam dialog

4.Add a Cam-Data FB - see Kinematic FBs > Add Cam-Data FB

5.Edit the Cam-Data FB to link it to the 2D-Cam- - see Cam-Data dialog : Cam Analysis

6.Connect wires from the Cam-Data FB to a Graph FB to analyze 5 parameters - see Cam-Data dialog : Cam Analysis

7.Edit the Cam-Data FB again to calculate the Cam's Coordinates - see Cam-Data dialog : Cam-Coordinates

To open the Conjugate-Cam dialog:

Note: if you want to analyse the forces of a Groove Cam - you MUST add 2 x 2D-Cams to the model. The Cam-Follower Rollers are above each other.

You cannot use the Inner and Outer Flanks of 1 x 2D-Cam.

Select 2 x 2D-Cams

In the graphic-area or Assembly-Tree:

The two 2D-Cams are in one kinematic-chain and must be capable of being the Power-Source for a different kinematic-chain.

Each 2D-Cam drives the Inner-Cam-Flank OR the Outer Cam-Flank.

Note 1 : If the 2D-Cams you select do not drive the same Follower-Part, you get this message in the Feedback Area.

Message

To do Force Analysis of the Conjugate Cams, you must select the Conjugate-Cam FB in the Configure Power Source dialog.

To remove a 2D-Cam

1.Select the 2D-Cam in the list

2.Click